The Battle of Crecy, August 26, 1346. [Hundred Years' War] The Battle of Crécy, fought between Edward III of England and King Philip VI of France, was one of the most important battles in the Hundred Years' War . Sources disagree over the size of the armies, the English army cited as numbering 10-34,000 strong, the French army 35-120,000 strong. Due to their organization, their cannons, and their longbowmen, the English won the day. The new weapons and tactics employed marked an end to the era of the feudal warfare of knights on horseback. —AJ. BATTLE OF CRÉCY (August 26, 1346) The Battle of Crécy (1346).—The first great combat of the long war was the famous battle of Crécy.

Edward had invaded France with an army of 30,000 men, made up largely of English bowmen, and had penetrated far into the country, ravaging as he went, when he finally halted, and faced the pursuing French army near the village of Crécy, where he inflicted upon it a most terrible defeat. 1,200 knights, the flower of French chivalry, and 30,000 foot-soldiers lay dead upon the field. The great battle of Crécy is memorable for several reasons. It was here that cannons were first used in open battle, though some time before this rude artillery had been employed by the Spanish Moors in siege operations. The guns used at Crécy were very clumsy affairs, and were described by a French writer as engines "which, with fire, threw little iron balls to frighten the horses."1 It was on this field, too, that the eldest son of Edward III, known, from the color of the armor he wore, as the Black Prince , earned his spurs, the symbol of knighthood, and a fame which the English have loved to keep green.

This favorite prince was only sixteen years of age, but his father, notwithstanding, with a confidence in the temper and judgment of the boy which the event showed was not misplaced, entrusted him with the command of one of the main divisions of the army. The king himself took no active part in the battle, but watched the fight from an old windmill which overlooked the field. In the midst of the battle a messenger came in hot haste to the king, beseeching aid for the prince, who, he represented, was hard pressed by the enemy. "Do not send to me so long as my son lives; let the boy win his spurs; let the day be his," was Edward's only reply to the entreaty. And the young prince won both his spurs and the day. The battle of Crécy also derives a certain interest from the fact that there Feudalism and Chivalry received their death-blow. The yeomanry of England there showed themselves superior to the chivalry of France. "The lesson which England had learned at Bannockburn she taught the world at Crécy. The whole social and political fabric of the Middle Ages rested on a military base, and its base was suddenly withdrawn.

The churl had struck down the noble; the bondsman proved more than a match, in sheer hard fighting, for the knight. From the day of Crécy, Feudalism tottered slowly but surely to its grave."2 The battles of the world were hereafter to be fought and won, not by mail-clad knights with battle-ax and lance, but by common footsoldiers with bow and gun. The death of the blind king John of Bohemia, Philip's ally, who fell with the chivalry of France on the fatal field, added another incident to the record of the memorable day. The veteran warrior, when he learned that the battle was going hard with the French, ordered his companions to fasten his horse's bridle to theirs, and lead him into the thickest of the fight, where he and his faithful nobles fell dead together. The old king's crest and motto, which consisted of a triple ostrich plume with the legend Ich Dien, "I serve," were adopted by the Prince of Wales , and from that day to this have been worn by his successors. 1. J. R. Green. A Short History of the English People. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1876.

220. link 2. ibid. 244. link Battle of Crecy - Aug 26, 1346 - HISTORY.com Battle of Crecy Publisher A+E Networks During the Hundred Years War, King Edward III’s English army annihilates a French force under King Philip VI at the Battle of Crecy in Normandy. The battle, which saw an early use of the deadly longbow by the English, is regarded as one of the most decisive in history. On July 12, 1346, Edward landed an invasion force of about 14,000 men on the coast of Normandy. From there, the English army marched northward, plundering the French countryside. Learning of the Englishmen’s arrival, King Philip rallied an army of 12,000 men, made up of approximately 8,000 mounted knights and 4,000 hired Genoese crossbowmen. At Crecy, Edward halted his army and prepared for the French assault. Late in the afternoon of August 26, Philip’s army attacked.

The Genoese crossbowmen led the assault, but they were soon overwhelmed by Edward’s 10,000 longbowmen, who could reload faster and fire much further. The crossbowmen then retreated and the French mounted knights attempted to penetrate the English infantry lines. In charge after charge, the horses and riders were cut down in the merciless shower of arrows. At nightfall, the French finally withdrew. Nearly a third of their army lay slain on the field, including Philip’s brother, Charles II of Alencon; his allies King John of Bohemia and Louis II of Nevers; and 1,500 other knights and esquires. Philip himself escaped with a wound. English losses were less than a hundred. The battle marked the decline of the mounted knight in European warfare and the rise of England as a world power. From Crecy, Edward marched on to Calais, which surrendered to him in 1347. Related Videos The Hundred Years' War Battle of Crecy 20,000-80,000 men Battle of Crécy Overview: Seeking to invade France in 1346, King Edward III landed in Normandy that July.

Quickly capturing Caen on July 26, Edward moved east towards the Seine. Alerted that King Philip VI was assembling a large army in Paris, Edward turned north and began moving along the coast. Pressing on, he crossed the Somme after winning the Battle of Blanchetaque on August 24. Tired from their endeavors, the English army encamped near the Forest of Crécy. Eager to defeat the English and angry that he had failed to trap them between the Seine and Somme, Philip raced towards Crécy with his men. Alerted to the approach of the French army, Edward deployed his men along a ridge between the villages of Crécy and Wadicourt. Dividing his army, Edward assigned command of the right division to his sixteen-year old son Edward, the Black Prince with assistance from the Earls of Oxford and Warwick, as well as Sir John Chandos. The left division was led by the Earl of Northampton, while Edward, commanding from a vantage point in a windmill, retained leadership of the reserve. These divisions were supported by large numbers of archers equipped with the English longbow .

While waiting for the French to arrive, the English busied themselves by digging ditches and laying out caltrops in front of their position. Advancing north from Abbeyville, the lead elements of Philip's army arrived near the English lines around mid-day on August 26. Scouting the enemy position, they recommended to Philip that they encamp, rest, and wait for the entire army to arrive. While Philip agreed with this approach, he was overruled by his nobles who wished to attack the English without delay. Quickly forming for battle, the French did not wait for the bulk of their infantry or supply train to arrive. Advancing with Antonio Doria and Carlo Grimaldi's Genoese crossbowmen in the lead, the French knights followed with lines led by the Duke D’Alencon, Duke of Lorraine, and Count of Blois, while Philip commanded the rearguard. Moving to the attack, the crossbowmen fired a series of volleys at the English. These proved ineffective as a brief thunderstorm before the battle had wet and slackened the crossbowstrings. The English archers on the other hand had simply untied their bowstrings during the storm.

This coupled with the longbow's ability to fire every five seconds gave the English archers a dramatic advantage over the crossbowmen who could only get off one to two shots per minute. The Genoese position was worsened by the fact that in the rush to battle their pervises (shields to hide behind while reloading) had not been brought forward. Coming under devastating fire from Edward's archers, the Genoese began withdrawing. Angered by the crossbowmen's retreat, the French knights fired insults at them and even cut several down. Charging forward, the French front lines fell into confusion as they collided with the retreating Genoese. As the two bodies of men tried to move past each other they came under fire from the English archers and five early cannon (some sources debate their presence). Continuing the attack, the French knights were forced to negotiate the slope of the ridge and the man-made obstacles. Cut down in large numbers by the archers, the felled knights and their horses blocked the advance of those to the rear. During this time, Edward received a message from his son requesting aid.

Upon learning that the younger Edward was healthy, the king refused stating "“I am confident he will repel the enemy without my help," and "Let the boy win his spurs." As evening approached the English line held, repelling sixteen French charges. Each time, the English archers brought down the attacking knights. With darkness falling, a wounded Philip, recognizing he had been defeated, ordered a retreat and fell back to the castle at La Boyes. Aftermath: The Battle of Crécy was one of the greatest English victories of the Hundred Years' War and established the superiority of the longbow against mounted knights. In the fighting, Edward lost between 100-300 killed, while Philip suffered around 13,000-14,000 (some sources indicate it may have been as high as 30,000). Among the French losses were the heart of the nation's nobility including the Duke of Lorraine, Count of Blois, and the Count of Flanders, as well as John, King of Bohemia and the King of Majorca. In addition eight other counts and three archbishops were slain.

In the wake of the battle, the Black Prince paid tribute to the nearly blind King John of Bohemia, who had fought valiantly before being slain, by taking his shield and making it his own. Having "earned his spurs," the Black Prince became one of his father's best field commanders and won a stunning victory at Poitiers in 1356. Following the victory at Crécy, Edward continued north and laid siege to Calais. The city fell the next year and became a key English base for the remainder of the conflict. Selected Sources Crecy CRECY - 26 August 1346 The first and biggest battle in which longbow men fought against knights and won against overwhelming numbers and repeated charges into the darkness. The battle of Crécy was a resounding victory for the English longbow men during the 100-year war and was fought on 26 August 1346 by the Army of King Edward III and King Philip VI of France. A large army of King Philip VI of France numbering some 30,000 to 40,000 men, was in close pursuit of King Edward III.

The latter had had to cross the Somme river at a ford known as Blanchetacque, downstream of Abbeville. This had to be undertaken at low tide, leaving a detachment of the French army and Genoese crossbowmen on the North shore time to prepare. Longbowmen were the first to wade in to a volley of crossbow bolts. They overcame the opposition at considerable cost. The English in turn now left a rearguard on the North shore while the tide rose and stopped the main French army coming up behind them. The English army moved swiftly North-west to take and despoil le Crotoy on the other (North) shore of the Somme estuary. They also cleared much of the countryside of resistance towards the East. The main French Army, unable to make the crossing at the same ford, moved South-eastwards inland to Abbeville. The following day much of the French army, which included 6000 Genoese crossbowmen as well as some and German mercenaries, proceeded North-west from Abbeville to the Crotoy. Smoking fires had encouraged them into thinking the English were still in the town and could be encircled.

However, the English Army had moved on and was already making defensive preparations for a battle at Crécy. The considerable detour thereby made by the French army meant that by the time it located the English, it had already marched an appreciable distance. In the meantime the English Army numbering some 12,000 to 13,000 of which 6000 to 7000 were longbow men, was aligned on a ridge between Crécy and Wadicourt. The ground in front of the Crécy-Wadicourt ridge slopes away to a shallow valley with a small river. Just below the ridge the ground has up to three terraces in some places. The steepest part of the ridge is towards Crécy, while towards Wadicourt the fall of the ground softens and is marshy at the bottom. Woods at either end afforded some protection to the flanks, while a small wood behind the battle lines was used to locate the baggage train. The battle line was some 2000 yards (1830m) long, which given the numbers deployed was a comparatively narrow front. King Edward had chosen his ground well and now made expert use of it.

The English Army was drawn-up in three battle lines, two in the front-line and one in reserve. Each line consisted of a centre of dismounted knights and men at arms, flanked on both sides by forward curving wings of archers. The English capitalised on the lie of the land and in its occupation of the terraces. The forward line with equal numbers of archers on its wings stood at the edge of the gradually rising ground. The second line was nearer the ridge. The King held the third line a short distance back from the ridge itself and was quartered in a windmill overlooking the whole of the battlefield. Given the length of the front and the numbers it had to accommodate it is likely that the English positioned their longbow men in wedge-shaped formations. The wedge or harrow-formation was varied in order to take account of the ground, but the majority of archers were on the flanks in an open V formation pointing towards the adversary. Placed in wedge-shaped ranks a thicker barrage of arrows was possible and this was a vital contributor to the outcome of the battle. Each longbow man carried two sheafs of 24 arrows.

The method of re-supply was well rehearsed with archers going a short distance for supplies, while others took their place. Runners covered the distance between the archers and the baggage train. The English army had good time to prepare itself, not only in terms of its disposition, but also to add to its defences with ditches, potholes and caltrops placed in the ground ahead of it. The army was fully dismounted and had been given strict instructions not to pursue the enemy too far down the slope into the valley. The discipline it showed in not doing so was critical. The advance for the French up to the ridge was some 500 yards (460m), of which 400 (366m) on upward sloping terrain. The slope increases as one approaches the first of the terraces. The French Army was sighted from the windmill at about four in the afternoon. The Oriflamme had been unfurled signifying that no quarter was to be given. However, King Philip's advisors counselled against joining battle that same day for two reasons. Only four hours of daylight remained and the army needed resting after a long march.

Secondly the size of the Army was such that during the march columns had become mixed up and needed organising prior to battle. King Philip accepted the advice. However, the nobles seeing the English up on the ridge and confident of an easy victory, could not resist pressing for an immediate attack. As the cavalry and men at arms on foot surged forward the French King had to give way and agree to the charge, which therefore got underway without proper order. Moments prior to the battle there was a thunderstorm with a heavy downpour, which softened the ground, making it heavier for the cavalry. It also loosened the heavy bowstrings on the crossbows of the Genoese mercenaries in the French army. This may to some extent have spoilt their cast. The longbow men in the English lines had tucked theirs under their helmets to keep them dry. When the sun came out again it was on the backs of the English and therefore shone straight into the eyes of the attacking forces. It is possible that in the haste to attack the Genoese crossbow men had not been able to retrieve their pavises (large shields) from the baggage train. If that were so it would have left them without protection once they had shot and were starting to reload.

The 6000 Genoese crossbow men were placed in a forward position and were followed up the gradually inclining slope by the cavalry. Crossbows at that time were made of wood or composite construction and shot approximately 200 to 220 yards (180-200 metres). When the crossbow men had the forward lines of the English within that distance they loosed their bolts. The flat trajectory of a crossbow bolt, pointed slightly upwards to meet the rising ground, meant that much of the shot missed the English who were partially hidden from view on the terraces. Little did the Genoese realise that the longbow had the greater range and could cover up to 320 yards (300 metres). While the slow process of reloading their crossbows began after the first round, the English longbow men stood up and shot volley after volley of arrows. - French Men at Arms on foot - Genoese Cross Bow - English Cavalry and Men at Arms on foot - English Men at Arms on foot - English Archers - Canon The reloading and unprotected Genoese were disrupted and they suffered very heavy casualties. They began to withdraw. The King and the nobles were furious at this reverse.

Many of the Genoese began to cut their bowstrings or cast their bows aside, so that they could not be made to fight a second charge. Realising that dead crossbow mercenaries did not need payment, the oncoming cavalry charged straight through the ranks of the Genoese deliberately cutting down many of them in the process. Now the full charge by the cavalry got underway, banners flying and swords raised. Volleys of arrows fell upon them like snow. Horses demented with pain threw their riders, panicked and ran down into the already disordered second wave of the attack. Charge after charge was made by the French cavalry up the slope, which with the weight of rider, armament and equipment meant that horses were exhausted by the time they came within bowshot of the English lines. Horses and riders were killed and wounded in many hundreds with each volley of arrows, always directed at that part of the battlefield where the press was greatest. Successive charges had to be made through ever increasing numbers of dead and wounded men and horses. Already within the first half hour the ground just below the terraces was covered with the fallen and the dying. Fifteen more charges were made by the cavalry and the men at arms on foot.

They were never well enough organised, as the King’ s advisors had warned. However, they were in themselves a testimony to the raw courage of the French army. Each successive charge was weaker and during brief pauses in the battle, the English archers stood in their lines with remarkable discipline, only going down the slope far enough to collect their arrows. At some stage during the battle King Edward’s 16-year old Son, the Black Prince did fight his way too far down the slope and was almost separated from the main lines. The King refused to send reinforcements, but the position was retrieved through a flank attack by Arundel, one of his commanders. The attacks continued into the moonlight as French commanders refused to cede against a much smaller army and its lowly born archers. Finally, only towards midnight, did the attacks cease. By that time the King of France had been wounded and taken off the battlefield. Large numbers of the French nobility had been killed or were wounded. The next day, after the morning fog had lifted, some 2000 longbow men and 500 spearmen did go down the slope and made contact with the French levies, killing a large number of them and scattering the remainder.

The battle lasted from four in the afternoon until about midnight. French and Genoese casualties are estimated at 10,000 to 30,000, the most likely figure being 12,000. Of these 11 were Princes of the realm and 1200 were Knights. The English suffered 150 to 250 dead, about the same losses as they had incurred crossing the Somme at blanchetacque. The French army had made 15 to 16 distinct charges in all. The French nobility interpreted the new method of battle as unchivalrous. Nevertheless, the devastating effectiveness of the longbow at Crécy meant that for some 50 years thereafter Knights dismounted to fight. In the next major battle of Poitiers there were almost no crossbows. Crécy had shown they were of inferior cast, had a low rate of shot and made the reloading crossbowman vulnerable in the process. Only when their bows could be made of steel were the French armies again tempted to use them. For almost ten years after the battle of Crécy the fighting between France and England subsided.

This was caused in part by the Black Death, which swept over Europe and killed more than a third of its population. Calendars List of 5 Most Significant Battles of the Hundred Years' War - History Lists HISTORY LISTS You are here: History Lists · Events · List of 5 Most Significant Battles of the Hundred Years' War List of 5 Most Significant Battles of the Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War was fought between France and England over the French throne from 1337 to 1453 which is even longer than 100 years. The war, however, was not fought continuously but in phases which initially evolved in the English favor. But the tide of war lastly turned in the French favor. By 1453, the French throne was secured by the House of Valois (a cadet branch of the extinct House of Capet), while all English possessions in France with the exception of Calais were lost. Nevertheless, the English won three of five most significant battles of the Hundred Years' War.

Battle of Crecy (August 26, 1346) The battle which was fought at the village of Crecy in northern France went into history for the disastrous defeat of the French despite the fact that they had a considerable numerical superiority. The Genoese mercenary crossbowmen and later the elite force of French knights proved to be an easy target for the English longbowmen. Victory at Crecy enabled Edward III of England to lay siege to Calais and force the city defenders to surrender one year later. Battle of Poitiers (September 19, 1356) Son of Edward III of England, Edward the Black Prince heavily defeated the superior French army near Poitiers, the today’s capital of the French region of Poitou-Charentes. Again, the English longbowmen played the decisive role in the outcome of the battle. The French king John II was captured during the battle and taken to England. He was released in 1360 after he promised to pay an enormous ransom. Battle of Agincourt (October 25, 1415) The battle marked the last of the three brilliant English victories in the Hundred Years’ War against France.

The English, commanded by King Henry V decisively defeated the numerically superior French army and conquered much of France. The English, however, failed to achieve a decisive victory in the war which entered into a new phase after the Battle of Agincourt and gradually turned in the French favor. Lifting of the Siege of Orleans (May 8, 1429) Joan of Arc, a 17-year old French peasant girl who claimed divine guidance lifted the Siege of Orleans which marked the turning point in the Hundred Years’ War. One of the greatest successes of the French army during the entire war enabled Charles VII to travel to Rheims to be crowned as King of France but it also significantly increased the morale among the French soldiers. In 1430, Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians who handed her over to the English. She was burned at the stake for heresy in the same year. Battle of Castillon (July 17, 1453) The battle which ended with the French victory marked the end of the Hundred Years’ War between France and England although a peace treaty was never signed.

The English who achieved several major victories during the course of the war lost all their possession in France except for Calais which was recaptured by the French only in 1558. The battle, however, also went into history as the first battle in Europe in which cannons played a decisive role. The Hundred Years' War: England vs. France - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com The Hundred Years' War: England vs. France Watch short & fun videos Start Your Free Trial Today An error occurred trying to load this video. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. You must create an account to continue watching Register for a free trial Are you a student or a teacher? I am a student Start Your Free Trial To Continue Watching As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Coming up next: The Longbow in the Hundred Years' War You're on a roll. Keep up the good work!

Your next lesson will play in 10 seconds 0:05 Why Did England and… 1:18 Battle of Crecy Add to Add to Add to Want to watch this again later? Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Custom Courses are courses that you create from Study.com lessons. Use them just like other courses to track progress, access quizzes and exams, and share content. Teachers Organize and share selected lessons with your class. Make planning easier by creating your own custom course. Students Create a new course from any lesson page or your dashboard. From any lesson page: Click "Add to" located below the video player and follow the prompts to name your course and save your lesson. From your dashboard: Click on the "Custom Courses" tab, then click "Create course". Next, go to any lesson page and begin adding lessons. Edit your Custom Course directly from your dashboard. Personalize: Name your Custom Course and add an optional description or learning objective. Organize: Create chapters to group lesson within your course. Remove and reorder chapters and lessons at any time. Share your Custom Course or assign lessons and chapters.

Teacher Edition: Share or assign lessons and chapters by clicking the "Teacher" tab on the lesson or chapter page you want to assign. Students' quiz scores and video views will be trackable in your "Teacher" tab. Premium Edition: You can share your Custom Course by copying and pasting the course URL. Only Study.com members will be able to access the entire course. Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days! Instructor: Jessica Elam Miller Jessica has taught college History and has a Master of Arts in History The Hundred Years' War was fought between England and France between 1337 and 1453. This lesson explores what led to the conflict and some of the decisive battles of the war. Why Did England and France Go to War? The Hundred Years' War was a war between England and France. England and France fought over who would be the king of France. The war lasted from 1337 to 1453. To understand the beginnings of this war, we can look all the way back to William the Conqueror, who became king of England in 1066. He united England with Normandy in France, and he ruled over both areas.

Under a new king, Henry II, the lands that belonged to England and France expanded. By 1327, when England was under the rule of Edward III, England had lost control of most of their French lands. When the French king, Charles IV, died in 1328, he had no male heirs to the kingship. Charles' sister was Isabella, who was the mother of Edward III. Edward thought he should be king of France. However, Charles also had a cousin named Philip who thought he should be king. The lands owned by Edward in France came under attacks by the French. Edward decided to declare he had a right to the French throne because of his relation to Isabella. In England, inheritance could be gained through the mother or the father's bloodline, but in France, it could only be gained by the father's bloodline. Major Battles France and England fought many battles. We will now learn a little about some of the most important battles. Battle of Crecy In 1346, the Battle of Crecy occurred near Normandy. Edward had come to France with thousands of soldiers, and the French pursued them.

Edward stopped near Normandy, in Crecy, to fight against the French. The French attacked several times, but they were defeated by England - mostly because of English longbowmen. The first attack from the French came from crossbowmen. They hoped the use of the crossbows would frighten the English soldiers. However, crossbows were slow to shoot. Crossbowmen could shoot only about one or two bolts each minute. Their crossbows were met with English longbowmen. The use of the longbow was unpopular in most countries because it required so much training. In England, archery was a popular sport. In fact, England didn't allow any other sports to be practiced on Sundays. Often, tournaments were held to encourage people to build archery skills. At any time, the king would have a multitude of people skilled in archery to fight in his army. Longbowmen held an advantage over those using crossbows. Longbows had a longer range and could be loaded faster. The French were not expecting the devastating effect of this weapon. The French group of crossbowmen was devastated by the longbow archers. As the French cavalry began to charge against the English, the archers continued their attack.

Every wave of arrows caused a break in their line. Although the army was led by the French king's son, the king didn't send reinforcements. The prince was wounded but remained alive. He ordered a retreat, signaling an English victory. Battle of Poitiers In 1356, the second major battle happened. This battle was called the Battle of Poitiers. This battle erupted after Edward's son (Edward III) raided France. When French soldiers met the English for this battle, the English soldiers tricked the French into thinking that they were retreating. The French soldiers charged and were met with masses of falling arrows from the longbowmen. Archers may have experienced difficulty in penetrating the armor of the French soldiers, so they aimed for their horses, breaking their strong cavalry line. As the soldiers met and fought in close combat, a hidden reserve of English soldiers that was waiting nearby encircled and attacked the French soldiers from the sides and behind. King John (now king of France) was defeated and captured. King John died in captivity, and his son Charles V took over. × Hundred Years War between England and France (1337-1453) Battle of Crecy, August 1346.

Edward III and his son Edward, the Black Prince, led 36,800 men to victory over Philip of France and his army of 130,000. Colour-printed wood engraving, 1864 Stock Photo 1746-2045 : Superstock Sign up/Sign In Stock Photo: Hundred Years War between England and France (1337-1453) Battle of Crecy, August 1346. Edward III and his son Edward, the Black Prince, led 36,800 men to victory over Philip of France and his army of 130,000. Colour-printed wood engraving, 1864 1746-2045 | Rights Managed Battle of Creçy Battle of Creçy King Edward III’s crushing English victory over the French; where the Black Prince won his spurs and acquired the emblem of the Three White Feathers.

Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: Froissart’s magnificent representation more imaginative than accurate: click here to buy this picture The previous battle of the Hundred Years War is the Battle of Sluys The next battle of the Hundred Years War is the Battle of Poitiers English knights awaiting the French attack at the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: click here to buy this picture King Edward III of England victor at the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War Date of the Battle of Creçy: 26th August 1346. Place of the Battle of Creçy: Northern France. Combatants at the Battle of Creçy: An English and Welsh army against an army of French, Bohemians, Flemings, Germans, Savoyards and Luxemburgers. Commanders at the Battle of Creçy: King Edward III with his son, the Black Prince, against Philip VI, King of France.

Size of the armies at the Battle of Creçy: The English army numbered some 4,000 knights and men-at-arms, 7,000 Welsh and English archers and some 5,000 Welsh and Irish spearmen. The English army fielded 5 primitive cannon. Numbers in the French army are uncertain but may have been as high as 80,000 including a force of some 6,000 Genoese crossbowmen. Uniforms, arms and equipment at the Battle of Creçy: The power of the medieval feudal army lay in the charge of its mass of mounted knights. After the impact delivered with the lance, the battle broke into hand to hand combat executed with sword and shield, mace, short spear, dagger and war hammer.

Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: picture by Henri Dupray: click here to buy this picture Depending upon wealth and rank a mounted knight of wore jointed steel armour incorporating back and breast plates, a visored bascinet helmet and steel plated gauntlets with spikes on the back; the legs and feet protected by steel greaves and boots, called jambs. Weapons carried were a lance, shield, sword and dagger. Over the armour a knight wore a jupon or surcoat emblazoned with his arms and an ornate girdle. The French King commanded a force of Genoese crossbowmen, their weapons firing a variety of missiles; iron bolts or stone and lead bullets, to a range of some 200 yards. The crossbow fired with a flat trajectory, its missile capable of penetrating armour. Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War The weapon of King Edward’s archers was a six foot yew bow discharging a feathered arrow a cloth metre in length. Arrows were fired with a high trajectory, descending on the approaching foe at an angle.

The rate of fire was up to one arrow every 5 seconds against the crossbow’s rate of a shot every two minutes; the crossbow requiring to be reloaded by means of a winch. For close quarter fighting the archers used hammers or daggers to batter at an adversary’s armour or penetrate between the plates. While a knight was largely protected from an arrow, unless it struck a joint in his armour, his horse was highly vulnerable, particularly in the head, neck or back. The Welsh and Irish infantrymen, carrying spears and knives, made up a disorderly mob of little use during battle, being mainly concerned with ransacking the countryside and murdering the inhabitants or pillaging a battlefield once the combat was over. A knight or man-at-arms, knocked from his horse and pinned beneath its body, would be easily overcome by the swarms of these marauders. The English army possessed simple artillery; improvements in the composition of black powder reducing the size of guns and projectiles and making them sufficiently mobile to be used in the field. It seems that the French had not by the time of Creçy acquired artillery. Winner of the Battle of Creçy: The English army of Edward III won the battle decisively.

Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: map by John Fawkes Account of the Battle of Creçy: Edward III, King of England, began the Hundred Years War, claiming the throne of France on the death of King Philip IV in 1337. The war finally ended in the middle of the 15th Century with the eviction of the English from France, other than Calais, and the formal abandonment by the English monarchs of their claims to French territory. The battlefield of Creçy showing the windmill at which King Edward III positioned himself and the English reserve at the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War On 11th July 1346 Edward III, King of England, with an army of some 16,000 knights, men-at-arms, archers and foot soldiers landed at St Vaast on the peninsular of the Contentin on the north coast of France, intent on attacking Normandy, while a second English army landed in South Western France at Bordeaux to invade the province of Aquitaine.

One of the King’s first actions on landing in France was to knight his 16 year old son Edward, Prince of Wales (known to posterity as the Black Prince). Edward then marched south to Caen, the capital of Normandy, capturing the town and taking prisoner the Constable of France, Raoul, Count of Eu. Marching on to the Seine, the English Army found the bridges across the river destroyed, whilst news came in of an enormous army gathering in Paris under the French King, Philip VI, bent on destroying the invaders. Edward’s army was forced to march up the left bank of the Seine as far as Poissy, approaching perilously close to Paris, before a bridge could be found, damaged but sufficiently repairable to allow the army to cross the river. Once over the Seine Edward marched north for the Channel coast, followed closely by King Philip. Edward III crossing the Somme before the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346: picture by Richard Caton Woodville As with the Seine, the English found the River Somme an impassable barrier, the bridges heavily defended or destroyed, forcing them to march down the left bank to the sea.

They finally crossed at the mouth of the river at low tide, just evading the clutches of the pursuing French. Exhausted and soaked Edward’s troops encamped in the Forêt de Creçy on the north bank of the Somme. Edward III crossing the Somme before the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 by Benjamin West On 26th August 1346, in anticipation of the French attack, the English army took up position on a ridge between the villages of Creçy and Wadicourt; the King taking as his post a windmill on the highest point of the ridge. Edward, Prince of Wales, commanded the right division of the English army, assisted by the Earls of Oxford and Warwick and Sir John Chandos. The Prince’s division lay forward of the rest of the army and would take the brunt of the French attack. The left division had as its commander the Earl of Northampton. Each division comprised spearmen in the rear, dismounted knights and men-at-arms in the centre. In a jagged line in the front of the army stood the army’s archers.

Centred on the windmill stood the reserve, directly commanded by the King. Edward the Black Prince at the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: picture by Walter Stanley Paget click here to buy this picture At the back of the position the army’s baggage formed a park where the horses were held, surrounded by a wall of wagons with a single entrance. Philip’s army came north from Abbeyville, the advance guard arriving before the Creçy-Wadicourt ridge at around midday on 26th August 1346. A party of French knights reconnoitred the English position and advised the King that his army should encamp and give battle the next day when concentrated and fresh. Philip agreed, but it was one thing to make such a decision and quite another to impose it upon the army’s top level of arrogant and independent minded nobles; all jealous of each other and determined to show themselves the champions of France. Most of the army’s leaders were for disposing of the English army without delay, forcing Philip to concede that the attack be made that afternoon.

It was the role of the Constable of France to command the kingdom’s feudal army in battle; but the English had taken the Constable, Raoul, Count of Eu, at Caen. His authority and experience was sorely missed at Creçy, as the King’s officers attempted to control the mass of the army and direct it into the attack. The charge of the French knights at the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: picture by Harry Payne The Genoese formed the van, commanded by Antonio Doria and Carlo Grimaldi. The Duke D’Alençon led the following division of knights and men-at-arms; among them the blind King John of Bohemia, closely accompanied by two of his knights, their horses strapped on each side of the old monarch’s mount. In D’Alençon’s division rode two more monarchs; the King of the Romans and the displaced King of Majorca. The Duke of Lorraine and the Court of Blois commanded the next division, while King Philip led the rearguard.

The French knights attack at the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: picture by Richard Caton Woodville: click here to buy this picture At around 4pm the French moved forward for the assault, marching up the track that led to the English position. As they advanced, a sudden rainstorm swirled around the two armies. The English archers removed their bowstrings to cover inside their jackets and hats; the crossbowmen could take no such precautions with their cumbersome weapons. As the French army advanced the chronicler Froissart describes the Genoese as whooping and shouting. Once the English formation was within crossbow range the Genoese discharged their bolts; but the rain had loosened the strings of their weapons and the shots fell short.

Froissart portrayed the response: “The English archers each stepped forth one pace, drew the bowstring to his ear, and let their arrows fly; so wholly and so thick that it seemed as snow.” Blind King John of Bohemia at the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War The barrage inflicted significant casualties on the Genoese and forced them to retreat, exciting the contempt of the French knights coming up behind, who rode them down. The clash of the retreating Genoese against the advancing cavalry threw the French army into confusion. The following divisions of knights and men-at-arms pressed into the melee at the bottom of the slope; but found themselves unable to move forward and subjected to a relentless storm of arrows, making many of the horses casualties. The Black Prince finds the banner of King John of Bohemia after the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War and adopts his badge of the three white feathers, still the emblem of the Prince of Wales: click here to buy this picture At this time a messenger arrived at King Edward’s post by the windmill seeking support for the Black Prince’s division.

Seeing that the French could make little headway up the hill, Edward is reputed to have asked whether his son was dead or wounded and on being reassured said “I am confident he will repel the enemy without my help.” Turning to one of his courtiers the King commented “Let the boy win his spurs.” The French chivalry made repeated attempts to charge up the slope, only to come to grief among the horses and men brought down by the barrage of arrows. King Edward’s five cannon trundled forward and added their fire from the flank of the English position. In the course of the battle John, the blind King of Bohemia, riding at the Black Prince’s position, was struck down with his accompanying knights. The struggle continued far into the night. At around midnight King Philip abandoned the carnage, riding away from the battlefield to the castle of La Boyes. Challenged as to his identity by the sentry on the wall above the closed gate the King called, bitterly, “Voici la fortune de la France” and was admitted. The battle ended soon after the King’s departure, the surviving French knights and men-at-arms fleeing the battlefield. The English army remained in its position for the rest of the night.

In the morning the Welsh and Irish spearmen moved across the battlefield murdering and pillaging the wounded, sparing only those that seemed worth a ransom. King Edward III greeting the Black Prince after the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: picture by Benjamin West Casualties at the Battle of Creçy: English casualties were trifling, suggesting that few of the French knights reached the English line. French casualties are said to have been 30,000, including the Kings of Bohemia and Majorca, the Duke of Lorraine, the Count of Flanders, the Count of Blois, eight other counts and three archbishops. Follow-up to the Battle of Creçy: Following the battle King Edward III marched his army north to Calais and besieged the town. It took the English a year to take Calais due to its resolute defence. The disaster at Creçy left the French king unable to come to the aid of this important French port.

King Edward III knighting the Black Prince after the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War Anecdotes and traditions from the Battle of Creçy: The Battle of Creçy established the six foot English yew bow as the dominant battlefield weapon of the time. The French army followed the Oriflamme, a sacred banner lodged in times of peace in the church of St Denis to the West of Paris, but brought out in times of war to lead the French into battle. The emblem and motto of King John of Bohemia; blind and elderly at the time of the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War. King John rode into battle flanked by two of his knights his horse strapped to their’s. All the members of the King’s party died in the battle. After the battle, the Black Prince, according to tradition, adopted the emblem of the King of Bohemia, the three white feathers, and his motto “Ich Dien” (I serve); still the emblem of the Prince of Wales.

Stone cannon balls were found on the battlefield in 1850 confirming the use by the English of the 5 pieces of artillery in the battle. The French went into battle with the cry “God and St Denis”. The English battle cry was “God and St George.” The English took 80 French standards in the battle. On the following day the display of standards was taken by the French country folk as indicating that the French army had prevailed. They gathered at Creçy only to be pillaged and murdered by Edward’s foot soldiers. Raoul, Count of Eu, the Constable of France, spent several years in captivity in England. During that time he took an enthusiastic part in the festivities at court, particularly the jousting. Word got back to the French king. On his return Raoul was tried for treason and beheaded. King Edward III greets the Black Prince after the Battle of Creçy on 26th August 1346 in the Hundred Years War: click here to buy this picture References for the Battle of Creçy: The Hundred Years War by Robin Neillands. British Battles by Grant.

The previous battle of the Hundred Years War is the Battle of Sluys The next battle of the Hundred Years War is the Battle of Poitiers

Question: Which battle between England and France was fought in August 1346?
Answer: Crecy